With lockdown 3.0 well underway, and with no sign of socialising becoming lawfully acceptable, many of us are feeling alone and miserable. So, I’ve compiled my top 5 list of feel-good songs that I’m hoping will brighten up your lockdown blues.
Personally, once I start taking on board everything that is thrown my way through social media, the news and TV, I enter a very shitty place. Especially now. And it’s extremely difficult to shift my mood back to being optimistic and positive.
However, music and running are my go-to’s, so I wanted to share a few songs that will hopefully allow you to re-engage with your positivity. They are shameless, sing-a-long karaoke classics. Turn them up loud, turn off the TV, turn off your socials and have a dance in your kitchen.
Mr Blue Sky – Electric Light Orchestra
Mr Blue Sky is one to put on immediately if you’re feeling those 2021 blues. It was actually voted the “happiest song ever“.
Hey there Mr. Blue
We’re so pleased to be with you
Look around see what you do
Everybody smiles at you
I mean, no truer words have ever been sung. It’s a scientific fact that vitamin D contributes to mental and physical health and it’s no coincidence that COVID-19 cases were significantly lower in the Summer. There is some evidence that low vitamin D is associated with acute respiratory tract infections. People are craving the blue skies so badly that scientists have warned against the public taking too many vitamin D supplements. So my suggestion… listen to Mr. Blue Sky on repeat instead.
This Afternoon – Nickleback
Now… I have gotten A LOT of stick for liking Nickelback over the years but, I have zero shame in saying that they are iconic. This Afternoon was the last single to be released from their 2010 album, Dark Horse. They have so many great singles, 43 to be exact, but one of their best has got to be this one. This Afternoon is a song to remind you that your best days are yet to come. We have many more Summer afternoons, many more parties and many more drunken antics yet to live. If that isn’t a positive thought, I don’t know what is!
On Top of the World – Imagine Dragons
For all you FIFA fans out there, you’ll definitely know this track! This is a personal song for me that takes me back to a great time in my life. I was travelling around Kenya, exploring a completely new country, going on Safari, hiking around the most beautiful landscapes and just generally having a great time. Sometimes, I hate nostalgia. Sometimes, thinking back on good times actually makes me feel more down. Anyone else feel like this? It’s so strange how, for me anyway, I look at people on social media as having these amazing lives that I actually forget to stop and think I have my own amazing life. Yeah OK, so there’s celebs and influencers jetting off to Dubai and Ecuador getting tanned on a beach, but just remember, there are far more people in our position than in theirs. So, who’s more likely to be the lonely ones? It may not be amazing at this particular moment but, no one is happy 24/7, 365 days a year and that’s OK! It’s important to stop caring about other people and care about yourself and feeling on top of the world!
Feeling Good – Muse
Nina Simone originally recorded “Feeling Good” for her 1965 album I Put a Spell on You. But since then, the song has been covered by over 10 different artists including; Muse (my fave version), Michael Buble, George Michael and Avicii.
No wonder this song is a timeless classic, so many amazing artists have wanted to cover it because…it makes you feel good!
It’s powerful, it’s sassy and it’s undoubtedly one of the best songs to break you out of any slump. Personally, I think Muse’s cover is hands down the best. They recorded their version for their 2001 album Origin of Symmetry. In a poll by Total Guitar about best cover songs, Muse’s version came fifth. In September 2010, NME readers voted it the greatest cover song of all time, over Twist and Shout by the Beatles and Hurt by Johnny Cash. I think those credentials speak for themselves. Go and give it a listen and I promise you’ll be feelin’ good.
Beautiful Day – U2
U2 aren’t shy of making it into top 5 countdowns, with 7 of their songs making it to number one in the UK. Beautiful Day was their fourth UK number one, hitting the top spot in October 2000. Again, I know U2 may not be the obvious choice when it comes to ‘feel good’ songs, with many of their hits seeming a little melancholy. However, this song, with its message of freedom and living in the moment, forces us to think about how lucky we are. A message I need to be reminded of when I’m stuck in a rut, pacing the 4 walls of my house.
What 5 songs would you recommend to your best friends? Let us know!